Self-centering slide for extension-tables.



W. H. NORTHALL. SELF CENTERING SLID E FOR EXTENSION TABLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2. I9l4. v

' Patented May 29, 1917.

, 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR,

WITNESSES ATTORNEY runs 00.. Puorouma, vlAsMlm:

WILLIAM H.

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SELF-CENTERING SLIDE FQR EXTENSION-TABLES.

Specification bf Letters Patent. Patented-lusty 29, 191 *7 Application filed May 2, 1914. serial No. 835,956.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. NOR THALL, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Evansville, in the county of Van-' derburgh and State of Indiana, have invented a 'new. and useful Self-Centering Slide for Extension-Tables, of which .the

following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in self centering slides for extension tables, and 1ts ob ect is to prov de a sllde for In accordance with the present invention.

each slide comprises two runners made fast to respective sections of the table, and these runners are movable lengthwise along an intermediate section or member which may be made fast to a central pedestal Where the slides are, used upon such type of extension table. The runners are interconnected in a manner causingthem to move simultaneously to like extents in opposite directions, so that the table'sections are always self centered, and the whole table-is appropriately balanced. The invention also includes a locking means carried by one of the run-.

ners and engaging the intermediate member, so that the table when locked cannot be further extended, but maybe readily collapsed or moved to a less extended position.

The invention will be best understood. from a consideration of the following ole-- tailed descriptiomtaken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the further under-, standing that while the drawings show a practical form oftheinvention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modification 's mark no v material departurefroni the salient features of' the invention. l 1

In the drawings Figure 1 is a botto1n planview o f a table QP; show n I he pe estal feross on and illustrating the application of the present invention to a pedestal extension table. i

'Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1' showing the table top extended.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view ,of one of the slides with small portions of the crossed arms carriedby the pedestal.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the structure of Fig. 3 with the crossed arms in cross section. i

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal central section of the slide. j

Fig.6 is a section on the line 6Q6 of Fig. 5, but drawn on a larger scale.

Fig. 7'isa section onthe'line 7?? of Fig. 4: but drawn on a larger scaler .Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one end of the intermediate member. of the slide.

Referring to the drawings thereis shown in Figs. 1 andv 2 a table top 1 composed of two members Q, 3,as is cust0mary, an d there is also-shown a pedestal 4 provided *with the usual crossed arms 5, designed to receive slides, which in turn are connected to the table top as is the practice inextension tables. In Fig. 1 the table is shown in the closed position, and in Fig. 2 in the extended position with intermediate leaves 6 in place.

It is customary to provide 'two slides each carried by corresponding ends of the crossed arms, and as the slides are alike'the following description will be limited to the construction of oneslide, it being understood that the other slide is but a duplicate thereof. f

Each slide comprises .an intermediate member 7 and side members 8, 9, respectively, these side members being usually of about thesame length as the intermediate member and constitute runners made fast to the respective tabletop sections and 3 as ears 11 each of a length so that one overlaps the other, and these ears are formed with matching perforations 12 for the passage of a bolt 13 extending through another perforation 1 1 in the connecting member or wall 8*, and since in the installed position the wall 8 is usually the uppermost portion of the connecting member it will for convenience of description be termed the upper wall. Ears 11 and a bolt 13 are provided for each end of the channel member 7, and the bolt is carried through the corresponding end of a cross arm 5 so that these crossed arms support the channel member at the ends. To stiffen the parts and take the strain off the bolt the flanges 9 and 10 are each provided with a punched out spur 15 which may be shaped to terminate in a relatively sharp point, so as to be driven into the corresponding portion of the respective cross arm 5, thereby in conjunction with the bolt 13 anchoring the channel member in position against such displacement as would bring undue strain upon the bolt. The ears 11 and the teeth or spurs 15 also serve as stifi'ening means for the sides of the channel member 7 at the ends thereof.

At appropriate points the channel member is traversed by pins 16 carrying rollers 17 exterior to the side walls of the channel member, two of the rollers being located on one side of the channel member between the middle portion thereof and one end, and the other rollers being located on the other side of the channel member between the middle portion and the other end. Each roller is of disk-like form with a dished central portion 18 serving to space the bodyof the roller away from the side of the channel member to an extent corresponding to the depth of the dished part or hub of the roller. These rollers are of a diameter to extend for an appropriate distance above the top 2 of the channel member when the latter is properly installed.

Mounted on the rollers 17 on opposite sides of the channel member are the runners 8 and 9, respectively, these runners being each made of sheet metal with the op posite long edges returned upon themselves as shown at 19 and 20, respectively, and spaced away from the body of the respective runner to form edge channels for the peripheries of the rollers 17 so that these runmechanism, to be described, carried by one of the runners. Struck out from each runner near the return edge 19 are tongues 22 each provided with an appropriate perforation 23. These tongues are located wholly to one side of the middle portion of the re spective runner, one runner having the tongues at the opposite end to those of the other runner. Each runner also carries at a point close to its middle portion, but on the same side thereof as the tongues 22, a bracket 24: provided with a perforation 25, the bracket 24: with its perforation 25 serving the same purpose as the tongues 22 and their perforations 23. It is by means of these tongues that the runners are made fast to respective sections 2 and 3 of the table top, it being customary to employ screws 26 for the purpose.

That side of the channel member 7 adjacent to the runner 8 has an elongated recess 27 formed in its lower edge and the in turned edge 20 of the runner- 8 carries a bracket 28 extending through the recess 27 into the interior of the channel member 7.

The edge 19 of the runner 9 carries a bracket 29 similar to the bracket 28 and ex tending toward the other runner 8 in Over riding relation to the top 8 of the channel member 7. Mounted within the channel member upon supporting journal pins 30 are flanged rollers 31, there being two such rollers nearer to the corresponding ends of the channel member than are the ends of the slot 27, and these rollers are so related to the channel member as to in part extend through slots 32 in the top 8 of the channel member. v

The brackets 28 and 29 have respective pins 33, 341 thereon and to these pins an endless chain 35 is secured. This chain may not be actually endless, but is effectively endless for it may be made up of a single section. or more than one section fastened to both pins 33 and 34;. One run of the chain extends from the pin 33 through the lower portion of the channel member 7. around and over the roller 31 at the end of the slide remote from that near which the bracket 28 is normally'located, and from thence the chain extends and is secured to the pin 34. The same chain or another chain extends from the pin 34 over the top 8 of the channel. member, which top may be slightly dished to receive and guide the chain, until the chain reaches the other roller 31 and is carried around and under this roller to the pin 33 of the bracket 28. The chain is thus effectively endless, and if either slide be moved lengthwise the other slide is constrained to also move lengthwise, but in the opposite direction due to the presence of the direction-changing rollers 31, and the movement is permitted by reason of the supporting rollers 17 which are spaced far enough apart to effectively support 'the runners without permitting them to tip to any noticeable extent. The chain 35 may also be taken as indicative of any flexible strand other than a chain which will permit like operations.

The flange 10 has up-struck teeth 36 arranged in groups along its length at spaced intervals, and these teeth are in the path of the nose end 37 of a latch dog 38 mounted on a pivot pin 39 carried by the'runner 9, although the same arrangement might be provided for the runner 8 instead of the runner 9. It is, however, needful to have but one of the runners of the slide provided with latch means. The latch dog 38 is provided with an angle arm 40 on the side of the pivot 39 remote from the nose 37, and this arm 40 is extended through slots 41 formed in the bead 21 of the corresponding runner. The latch 38 is located near one end of the runner constituting the forward end of the runner in the closing movement, and the rear or trailing end of the runner in theopening movement. Near the other end of the runner there is mounted a manipulating lever 42 secured to the runner by a pivot pin 43, and this lever has one of its arms extending through slots 44in the bead 21. Thearm of the lever 42 extending through the slots 44 and the arm 40 of the latch dog are connected together by a reach rod 45 so that upon a suitable manipulation of the lever-42 the latch dog is moved in a direction to carry the nose 37 out of the path of the teeth 36. The latch devices are however constrained to the locked position by a spring 46 engaging the latch dog and mounted on the pin 39 with the other end of the spring locked against the bead 21 or otherwise secured.

If it be assumed that the table top is in the closed position as indicatedin Fig.1 then any attempt to draw the two. parts of 'the table top apart is resisted :by the latch dog 38 with its nose in engagement with one of the teeth 36. In order to draw the sections of the tabletopapart it is necessary to first manipulate the lever-42 to therebylift the nose 37 of the dog 38 out of the pathof the teeth 36, after which the table top sections may be readily pulled away one from the other to any desired extent, and then the leaves 6 are insertedin appropriate number. On moving the table top sections together until stopped by the leaves, no resistance is o-fiered by the dog 38, since the section 9 as viewed in Fig. 4 is then moved toward the left and the nose of the dog rides idly over the teeth 36 until the engagement of the table top sections with the leaves prevents further movement and the dog locks against a tooth 36 thenin its path,

so that the table is held firmly in the desired position. By arranging the teeth 36 in groups at spaced points corresponding approximately to the width of the leaves 6, the same structure may be employed for different tables having leaves of some difference in width without" the necessity of changing the tools employed in the manufacture of the slide.

The connecting means between the runners causing them to move simultaneously to equal extents is in most part housed within the central channel member and one run ofthe chain travels along the upper surface of the top of the channel member, thus permitting a relatively narrow slide with the runners practically solid from end to end, and consequently correspondingly strong, while the sides of the channel member are not weakened by any material cut- I ting away thereof. This is due to the arrangement of the chain, so that its runs are in substantially one upright plane, considering the structure as installed, while the whole structure is very much compacted, and its strength is in no manner minimized by cuttingaway parts which contribute materially to the rigidity of the runners and their supports;

In another application for self-centering slides for extension tables filed by me on even date herewith there is disclosed a table slide having features in common with the table slide herein disclosed, and in the said other application claims are made to fea tureseommon to both disclosures, wherefore no claim is herein made to the broader features of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. A. table slide comprising an intermediate member and flanking members on opposite sides thereof extending above the inter mediate member, supports for the flanking members on the sides of the intermediate member and along which supports the flanka chain and direction changing rollers therefor carried by the intermediate member and connected to theflanking members,

said chain and rollers being located on the intermediate member between the sides and rising above the top thereof.

2. A table slide comprising a central or intermediate metallic channel member,

flanking metallic runners having longitudi nal channels at opposite edges, supporting rollers carried by the channel member exterior thereto and engaging the edge channels of the runners, rollers mounted within the channel member near opposite ends 1ng .members are movable lengthwise, and

of, one run of the chain extending through the'channel member and the other run extending over the channel member.

3. A table slide comprising an elongated channel member with edge flanges each having spurs or teeth near the ends and said channel member having inturned overlapping ears adjacent to the spurs, with the ears and a corresponding portion of the channel member provided with matching perforations for the passage of a fastening bolt, and runners mounted on and movable along the channel member.

4. A table slide comprising an elongated channel member with means at the ends for attachment to a relatively stationary portion of a table, longitudinally movable runners mounted on and carried by the channel member exterior thereto and having means for attachment to the sections of a divided table top, and means for causing the simultaneous movement of the runners in opposite directions comprising rollers mounted in the channel member and in part extending through the top thereof, and an eflectively endless chain extending about the rollers with one run above the channel member and the other run within the channel member, and with said runs connected to respective runners.

5. A table slide comprising an elongated channel member with means at the ends for attachment to a relatively stationary portion of a table, longitudinally movable runners mounted on and carried by the channel member exterior thereto and having means for attachment to the sections of a divided table top, and means for causing the simultaneous movement ofthe runners in opposite directions comprising rollers mounted in the channel member and in part extending through the top thereof, and an effectively endless chain extending about the rollers with one run above the channel member and the other run within the channel member, one runner having a bracket above the channel member and the other runner having a bracket extending into the channel member near the lower portion thereof and both brackets being connected to respective runs of the chain.

6. A table slide comprising an elongated channel member with outstanding support ing flanges, one being formed with series of teeth, elongated runners carried by the slide on opposite sides thereof and each provided with a longitudinal stiffening bead, interconnecting means between the runners for causing their simultaneous movement in opposite directions, and a latch means comprising a latch dog mounted on one of the runners in position to engage the teeth on the corresponding flange of the channel member, a manipulating lever mounted on the same runner with the bead of the runner slotted for the passage of a portion of the lever and a portion of the latch dog, and a reach rod between the lever and dog.

7. A table slide, comprising an intermediate member, means for retaining said intermediate member in fixed relation to the table, rollers on opposite sides of and near respectively opposite ends of the intermediate member, runners attached to movable parts of the table and located on opposite sides of the intermediate member close thereto and rising higher than the intermediate member to thereby define a channel above the intermediate member between the runners, guides on the runners engaging the rollers to travel thereon and thereby interlock the runners with the intermediate member, and means for causing the simultaneous movement of the runners in opposite directions, comprising a chain connected to respectively opposite end portions of the two runners, and guide rollers for the chain journaled to the intermediate member, said chain traveling along the channel between the runners above and supported on the intermediate member, whereby sagging of the chain where so traveling is prevented.

8. A table slide comprising an intermediate member, means for retaining said member in fixed relation to the table, rollers on opposite sides near respectively opposite ends of the intermediate member, flanking runners on opposite sides of and rising above the top of the intermediate member and mounted on and carried solely by the rollers and retained by the latter on the intermediate member, and means for causing the simultaneous movement of the runners in opposite directions lengthwise of the runners and intermediate member, comprising an effectively endless chain connected to the respective runners near respectively opposite ends thereof, and direction changing rollers for the chain mounted on the intermediate member, both the chain and last-named rollers rising above the intermediate member and located between the sides of the intermediate member in the space below the tops of the runners and said chain where moving between the runners above the intermediate member being supported by the latter.'

9. In a table slide, the combination of an intermediate member, rollers secured to the opposite sides of the intermediate member near opposite ends to each rotate upon a horizontal axis, runners arranged on opposite sides of the intermediate member and mounted on and carried solely by the rollers for movement along the intermediate member, said runners rising above the intermediate member close thereto and defining therewith a channel above the intermediate member between the runners, an efiectively In testimony that I claim the foregoing as endless chain connected to the respective my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature 1 runners and located to travel in the channel in the presence of Witnesses.

between the runners and on top of the inter- WILLIAM H. NORTHALL. 5 mediate member to prevent sagging of the Witnesses:

chain Where so traveling, and direction- LOUIS O. RASOH,

changing rollers for the chain mounted on LOUISE DAVIS,

the intermediate member. ALMA E. MEYER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0; Y 

